Hanger



July 19, 194. A. F. souTHwlcK HANGER Filed April 14, 1947 2. \NvEmoR ALVA FI Soumww ATTORNEYS Patented July 19, 1949 i pun- ED Tiaras s-Nr *oF-Fics The present invention is erned with a novel, simple and practical-hanger, detachably connectable with an over ead support and adapted to extend therebelow and from it there may be suspended various devices, one example of which is a baby jumper. Of course the invention is not limited in any respect to a particular or specific carrying and suspending of a single or special apparatus or device. Utilizing two of the hangers at properly spaced intervals, a rope might be attached at its ends to each to provide a swing; and many other ways of using it will be evident.

The hanger which I have devised is of a very simple, durable and practical construction, and economical to manufacture. It is an object and purpose of the invention to provide a hanger of such character.

An understanding of the invention may be had from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the hanger shown applied to an overhead supporting structure, such as the upper horizontal frame above a door opening and, in dash lines showing an article suspended therefrom,

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the hanger,

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the upper portion of the hanger, and

Fig. 4 is an under view thereof.

Like reference characters refer to like parts in the different figures of the drawing.

In the construction of the hanger two gripping or jaw members are used, each made from a length of fiat bar metal, and each having a side I at the lower end portion of which the bar is continued in an angular more nearly horizontal section 2. The free end portions 2 overlap each other and are pivotally connected as later described. At the upper end of each jaw member I, it is curved inwardly in an upper short horizontal section 3, from which the bar is bent at an angle greater than a right angle, providing a short angular section 4. The two sections of the two members extend oppositely when assembled, but each of the members is an exact duplicate of the other. From the outer ends of the angular section 4 the metal is bent in a bend 5 and terminates in a horizontal section 5 located perpendicular to the plane of the side i. Each of the horizontal terminal sections 6 is preferably covered by a sleeve I of rubber or rubber composition.

The overlapping lower ends of the lowermost Claims. (oi. zea -228) sections 2 of'thefstructurej have 'alls'o a therewith a short vertical b'arfB which 1165' aga nst one of the sections *2 a-piv tpin ii pass's through the overlapping end portions 'ofthje ec tiohs Zand the bar '8. A coiled tension spring it! has its opposite ends connected to the opposite lower sections 2 as shown in Fig. 2, the tendency of which is to move th jaws, provided by the covered horizontal sections 6, toward each other.

A hanger thus constructed may be opened at its upper side and passed over the frame parts ll, one at each side above a door opening, whereupon when released, the spring ID will force the jaws 6 with their resilient coverings I thereon toward each other and be suspended from the upper edges of the members II. In the lower end portion of the short bar 8, an opening may be made for the suspension of any desired device, as indicated in dotted lines at l2 in Fig. 1. Of course, the weight of such device, or of a child therein, will still further increase the clamping action of the jaws against the side of the overhead horizontal frame member at a door opening.

The structure described is of a particularly simple, economical form. The metal parts of the jaws being duplicates require only one set of dies and forming fixtures therefor. The jaws are parallel to each other and are of amply sufficient length to provide the required bearings against the upper edges of the supporting members II from which they are suspended. The construction is very practical and useful.

The invention is defined in the appended claims and is to be considered comprehensive of all forms of structure coming within their scope.

I claim:

1. A hanger detachably connectable with an overhead support such as a door frame comprising, a pair of gripping jaw members of substantially fiat bar-like material having bearing openings, pivot pin means in said openings pivoting the jaw members in flatwise edge-opposed relation, said jaw members being flared outwardly from the pivot and then extending edgewise upwardly and being then curved edgewise inwardly in substantially horizontally opposed upper ends, and the upper end of each jaw being extended angularly laterally across the flat dimension and being then extended back substantially transversely in opposite directions to provide a pair of elongated flat opposed gripping jaw portions.

2. A hanger comprising a pair of gripping jaw members of substantially flat bar-like material overlapped flatwise and pivotally connected near their lower ends, said jaw members being flared outwardly from the pivot and then curvin edgewise upwardly and being curved edgewise inwardly in opposed gripping jaw ends, said gripping jaw members being thus disposed with the flat width thereof in substantially parallel planes, and the upper end of each jaw being then bent across the width to provide oppositely disposed angular offsets and then being bent inwardly substantially perpendicularly across and centered with respect to the gripping ends in provision of elongated gripping portions extending in substantially parallel opposed relationship and centered above the pivotal connection.

3. A hanger detachably connectable with an overhead structure such as a door frame comprising, a pair of gripping jaw members of substantially fiat bar-like material pivoted together near their lower ends, said jaw members being thus disposed in fiatwise opposed and edgewise disposed relation and being flared outwardly from the pivot and then extending edgewise upwardly and. being then curved edgewise inwardly in provision of opposed upper ends, and the upper end of each jaw being extended laterally across the flat dimension and being then extended back substantially transversely in provision of a pair of elongated flat opposed gripping jaw portions substantially centered with respect to the gripping jaw members and disposed to engage substantially fiatwise on opposite sides of a wall when the hanger is fitted over a door frame and the like, and means holding said gripping jaw members in place with the flat portions contacting the wall.

ALVA F. SOUTHWICK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 216,624 Mayo et al June 1'7, 1879 494,868 Kelly Apr. 4, 1893 1,343,641 Patterson June 15, 1920 1,476,038 Birch Dec. 4, 1923 

